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Savill Building
Glenn Howells Architects' sustainable design for the iconic visitor centre in Windsor Great Park is up for architecture's top prize
Shortlisted for this year's RIBA Stirling Prize, the Savill Building is an iconic visitor centre at Windsor Great Park commissioned by The Crown Estate and designed by Glenn Howells Architects.
The highly sustainable building is built to an innovative gridshell design and made from timber harvested at the Park. Combining the best in contemporary engineering with traditional craft skills, the bespoke roof is constructed from larch and clad with green oak from The Crown Estate's own sustainable sources on the Windsor Estate.
Engineer Richard Harris of Buro Happold comments: 'the long clear span of the roof is innovative in many respects and the design of the building was an engineering challenge. The timber gridshell solution is a very efficient technique for creating curved forms using small amounts of material in standard sections.'
It is the largest roof of its type in the UK and is remarkable in being raised, the thrusts from the shell being carried on steel supports, which lift the perimeter to give a clear view over the garden. The timber structure, the rainscreen covering and the floor were all made from larch and oak timber grown within Windsor Great Park.
The entrance is covered by a green roof planted with juniper. Towards the garden, the terrace is slightly raised and fully enclosed with a curved glazed curtain wall opening-up spectacular views across the landscape.
The vast interior is subtly divided into three principal spaces, the entrance, restaurant and shop by two low level pods which house ticketing facilities,...